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Page 500
To their surprise, they found there was no need to explain their case. In fact, they needed to ride very fast to overtake the first group, which had already left. When they caught up, they heard the story of the men-at-arms who had been put out in the night. Alinor and Llewelyn exchanged stunned glances. This was the maddest thing of all. It made no sense of any kind. It made no sense if Ian was to be pressured into ceding the keep into Sir Peter's hands; it made no sense if Ian was a hostage to entrap Alinor; it made no sense if Ian was dead. In the first two cases, the men should have been kept as prisoners; in the third case, the men should also be dead.
Alinor turned to her husband's clan brother. "Can this be some Welsh custom my man has picked up or misunderstood?"
"The Welsh may be different from Normans, Lady Alinor," Llewelyn replied drily, "but they are quite sane."
"Then, Lord Llewelyn, I begin to fear I have been the unwitting bait in a trap set for you. What else can this be but a means to draw you to Clyro Hill?"
There was a little silence, and then Llewelyn smiled. "If it is a trap, there can be only one man who set it. Do not trouble yourself, dear sister. I am willing, very willing, to spring this trap."
He sent men off to Ian's other strongholds with the information as to where they should meet his own forces, and he looked approvingly at the 47 men following Ian's vassal. The man must have stripped his keep of everyone except cripples and ancients. It was interesting that Ian was so well-beloved, and very helpful, too, in a case where, if this was a trap, every man would count. If every man counted, however, Alinor's vassals would have to come from Clifford as quickly as possible. How this was to be brought about suddenly became a greater problem.
It was reasonable that Alinor should be allowed to pass unmolested toward Gwynedd, if the purpose of the

 
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